NECBL Notebook: Bay Sox pitcher wants to be drafted again

NEW BEDFORD — Right-handed pitcher Johnny Lieske can claim something no other Bay Sox player can: He was drafted by a major league team.

BILL ABRAMSON

NEW BEDFORD — Right-handed pitcher Johnny Lieske can claim something no other Bay Sox player can: He was drafted by a major league team.

Lieske was selected in the 35th round by the Texas Rangers in 2010 and was hoping to sign with the Rangers when fate interfered.

"I had an injury that required surgery when my ulnar nerve got stuck and caused pain when I threw," Lieske explained.

That sent him to Illinois State University, where he was red-shirted his freshman year as he recovered from the surgery. This season, he returned to baseball after being away for 21 months and, by his own assessment, was "horrible."

"I'll be draft eligible next year and I've gotten letters from the Orioles and Major League Baseball's scouting bureau as they compile information on guys who were drafted and didn't sign," Lieske said. "After a couple of years, they want to see my progression since I was drafted."

The opportunity to come to New Bedford could save his baseball career. His college coach didn't like what he saw in Lieske's brief comeback from his injury and showed him a depth chart of 19 pitchers with Johnny listed at No. 18.

"I don't care what that chart said," Lieske recalled. "I told my coach, 'You can give up on me, but I'm not giving up on myself.' I'm not willing to walk away from baseball."

The honor student is multi-talented with a musical background, as well.

"I used to play piano for my grandpa, who was in an assisted living facility," Lieske said. "The year after he died, the management called and asked me to come back and play for the residents. I had 40-50 people around the piano.

"I play keyboard in a worship band at my church and I even brought a mini piano with me to New Bedford."

So far this summer, coming out of the Bay Sox bullpen, Leiske has a 2-0 record, an ERA of 3.57 and two saves in 11 games (22.2 innings) prior to last night's game against the North Adams SteepleCats.

"I appreciate the chance to get some innings," he said. "I'm throwing strikes and getting outs and that's all that matters. I enjoy the opportunity to work on my pitches and get my confidence back.

"I gave up three bombs (homers) in one inning against Laconia (early this season) but, mentally, I have to let it go. Lately, I've figured that out. I have to keep it simple. I've been doing this since I was eight years old. I take the ball and throw it."

atop rankings, for now

The Newport Gulls and Keene Swamp Bats moved into the top two spots in the Perfect Game USA's national ranking of the top 30 summer league teams nationwide for the July 16 poll. By virtue of winning 13 of 15 games, each team climbed to the top of the poll with 22-6 records, but don't figure to stay there for long.

The top two teams played each other in back-to-back games and split with Keene winning the first game at Newport, 20-8, and the Gulls bouncing back the next night for a 13-7 win at Keene.

"That's rare territory for any summer-college league not known as the Cape Cod League, but the Gulls and Swamp Bats, historically the NECBL's most-successful franchises, have been as hot recently as almost any teams in the country with 13 wins apiece in their last 15 games. Keene recently had a 10-game winning streak snapped," wrote Allen Simpson, who does the poll.

Each team is 2-2 since the poll came out Monday with the SteepleCats edging Keene, 10-9 in 11 innings and Danbury scoring a 7-6 win over Newport. The Gulls play the Sanford Mainers in home-and-home games this weekend and Keene was at Holyoke and Danbury this weekend.

The poll leader since the start of the season was the Harwich Mariners (16-10), who lost four straight and dropped to No. 4. The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (fifth), Cotuit Kettleers (ninth), Chatham Anglers (14th), Orleans Firebirds (16th) and Falmouth Commodores (23rd) of the Cape Cod League dominate the rankings.

New Bedford was the team that ended Keene's 10-game winning streak and is the lone New England team listed as "also receiving consideration."

The Bay Sox have the perfect way to break into the rankings as they finish the season with three games against Newport in their final four. Thus far, New Bedford is 3-2 against the Gulls and 2-0 vs. Keene.

Teams are ranked on the following criteria: won-loss record, league dominance, depth and quality of professional-level talent and the overall strength of the league. To receive consideration, teams must have at least a .500 record overall.

What happened to last year's Bay Sox and where have they ended up this summer?

Mike Connolly is playing for the Harwich Mariners in the Cape Cod League; Colin Gay was released from the Harwich Mariners earlier this season; Rick Mangione is with the Mystic Schooners (NECBL); Tom Marra is playing for Battle Creek in the Northwoods League; Steve Janas was supposed to play in the Cape League, but got hurt and never played; Jake Berry is with the Holyoke Blue Sox (NECBL), Charlie Markson is with the Lakeshore Chinooks of the Northwoods League, and Brandon Miller was drafted in the fifth round and was signed by the Washington Nationals.

Greg Turhune, Lucas Whitehall, Trevor Edwards and Brad Shaban are among the missing.

Danny Collins, the third baseman-first baseman for the Laconia Muskrats, rewrote the NECBL record for power, belting a two-run home run Friday night on an 0-2 pitch against the Danbury Westerners. It was the 15th home run this season for Collins, breaking the 14-year-old league record of 14 held jointly by Gil Barkman and Aaron Fera. Collins is batting .389 and was the NECBL player-of-the-week last week, hitting .450 with three doubles, a triple, three homers and eight RBI.

He trails the league batting leader, Zach Stone of the Bay Sox, who is hitting at a .399 clip. The last Bay Sox player to lead the league in batting average was Matt Chavez in 2010. He was drafted by the White Sox as a pitcher.

Alex Haines of the Vermont Mountaineers is threatening to become a pitching triple-crown winner by leading the league in wins, strikeouts and earned run average.

Entering the weekend games, Haines has five wins, one behind league leader Brett Houseal of Danbury. He leads the league with 46 strikeouts and a 0.51 ERA in 35 innings. He has walked five and given up a paltry 19 hits.

The 10 Bay Sox players, along with staff and coaches, chosen to represent the Eastern Division in the annual All Star Game will leave early today for Montpelier, Vt., in a 15-passenger van.

The All-Star Game is tonight at 6:30 and three Bay Sox — first baseman Alex Black, shortstop Peyton Hart and DH Zach Stone — will be starters for the Eastern team.

Backups include catcher Andy Lalli and outfielders Alex Baldock and Zack Graczyk. Brian Derner, Colton Cross, Sean Fitzgerald and Jonathan Massad will be in the bullpen.

The Bay Sox resume league play Monday at Paul Walsh Field (6:30 p.m.) with the makeup of the opening-day rainout against the Laconia Muskrats.